Desilting and dredging work are being carried out in all five zones of the Corporation to prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas and will be completed within two to three weeks, according to R.Vaithinathan, Commissioner, Tiruchi Corporation.
He told The Hindu that the Corporation was committed to preventing waterlogging during the north-east monsoon, which was likely to start in the third or fourth week of October. The civic body had already begun the work and it was going at a brisk pace. A sum of ₹2.86 crore had been allotted to carry out desilting work. Under the plan, all major and minor drains and channels in the city would be desilted. Rettaivaikkal and Fort canals, which were the major canals flowing across the city, were among the canals being desilted.
Mr. Vaithinathan said that the low-lying areas, mostly situated along the Kudamuriti River, which were prone to water inundation, would be the focus of the desilting work. The officials had been instructed to expedite the work. It would be completed within September. “A blueprint has been prepared based on the past records about flood-prone areas. We will work to prevent waterlogging as much as possible,” the Commissioner said.
A senior official said that the desilting of Rettaivaikkal and Fort canals would avoid water logging in parts of Kumaran Nagar, Ramalinga Nagar, Woraiyur, Chinthamani, Devathanam, Palakkarai and adjoining areas. Special attention was being made to prevent waterlogging in Edamalaipattipudur, Crawford, Tiruchi-Dindigul Road, K.K. Nagar and Pirattiyur.
When asked if desilting work had not been started in several areas including the open drains at T.V.S. Tolgate and Subramaniapuram, the officials said there were some areas, which were not included in the desilting project. A fresh estimate would be prepared soon so as to clear the silt and weeds on the drains in the left out areas.
